Can Memories Be Stored Outside the Brain?!

Can memories be stored outside of the brain? In this video, Insoo Hyun, Director for the Center of Life Sciences at the Museum of Science dives into mind-blowing new research that suggests body cells—not just brain cells—might be able to "remember" through a process scientists are calling cellular cognition.

We’ve long known that learning is more effective when spaced out over time, thanks to something called the spacing effect. But what if that same effect happens in non-neural cells throughout your body? Researchers at NYU engineered cells that light up when genes linked to memory formation are activated — and they found that when these cells received signals at regular intervals (rather than all at once), the "memory" gene stayed active longer and stronger.

So, what does this mean for how we understand learning and memory? Could your body be "remembering" in ways we never imagined? Join Insoo as they break down this fascinating discovery and what it might mean for the future of science and medicine.